Run, Sacramento

Have you ever had one of those runs that is so eventful for what you encounter along the way that you almost forget you're running?

That was me today.

Normally, in this space, I don't delve into the prosaic details of a training run -- stuff like mile splits, interval work and the like or even what I encountered. But I'm making an exception today because I saw some interesting things on my running commute from Davis to Sacramento that I either would've missed had I driven my car to work or been annoyed by if traveling in an automobile.

First, I ran by an overturned produce truck (turned out to be bananas)  on Mace Boulevard in Davis. Major rubbernecking. Major backup. Street closures. The whole thing. It was freaking great being on two feet. I just motored on through and got a close-up view of the truck resting on its side. Had I been in my car stuck in traffic, I would've been mighty stressed.

Then, on the Yolo Causeway, I spied what looked to be a big blob on the paved trail ahead of me. When I got closer, I saw that it was a frog, dark green and as big and round as a pancake, sunning him/herself on the asphalt. I was hoping none of the cyclists zooming by me would accidentally smoosh it.

After exiting the causeway and merging onto West Capital Avenue, I discovered something truly shocking to a runner -- polite drivers!

West Sacramento gets a bad rap for a lot of things, but give it this: Its motorists are polite to runners.

In fact, I was a little worried. On this day, they seemed almost too polite, to the point where they almost caused traffic accidents. At cross streets, a few of the drivers in the right hand turn lane with a green light saw me approaching and stopped. Remember, they had the green light. I was more than willing to stop and wait, but twice cars waved me on even though they clearly had the right of way. Even the truckers turning into the industrial yards lining the avenue waited for me to pass.

And then there are the West Sac denizens wandering the avenue in the early morning. I know it might freak some people out to pass by a disheveled, unshaven guy swigging from a bottle in a paper sack. But a guy doing just that at a bus stop actually gave me the thumb's up salute.

Downtown and midtown Sac motorists could learn some manners from their West Sac brethren. I had hardly passed over the Tower Bridge before a minivan cut me off when I clearly had the right of way crossing in front of the Crocker Art Museum. In the 20 blocks of Q Street I traversed, I was honked at twice -- seemingly for no reason. I wasn't even running in the bike lane; I was on the sidewalk (because Q is a one-way street and I was going with traffic).

Today's eventful run raises the bar for my return trip home tonight on my bike. I'll be on the look-out for frogs and crabby drivers.